Liveline thread 28/09/16 to date

Anyone seen this before on De Lahv Lahn page?
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/liveline/generic/2013/0215/367956-special-features/

Chris's letter about 'coming out', as featured on Thursday 6th February 2014
So I've been sitting here for the last 2 hours wondering how I'll start this off. I keep asking myself what is scaring me? Is it the potential whispers? Will I be treated differently? Accepted? Rejected? Where do I begin - from the beginning I suppose.. Growing up isn’t easy but when you know, at a very young age that you’re ‘different’, different from societies norm - it's especially difficult. Although I never stood out, I knew I didn’t fit in either. It wasn’t until I was a young teen that I understood why. Ever since, I’ve always had this guard over me. I went from a happy go lucky child to a teen/adult who became cagy.
It was hard, I was surrounded by the oppression that was my life. There were many mixed emotions over the next couple of years. I cried, got angry with God, I got angry with myself. I constantly asked myself ‘Why me?’, ‘Was I a bad person?’. I prayed this punishment would have mercy on me. I screamed so loud asking for an explanation but no one could hear me. I continued to live in the shadows, I’d sit all alone in a faceless crowd, afraid in case I said the wrong thing, moved the wrong way so questions wouldn't be asked. I remember when I was in 4th year, one of my teachers commented that every time she saw me, she cheered up or smiled because I was always happy and constantly smiling, no matter what was going on - little did she know, it was a pasted smile that left, once I was alone.
This defines my life up to now - I hid. I hid behind a smile, I hid behind a lie. This all might sound a bit dramatic, but just remember the expression ‘walk a mile in my shoes’, before you criticize. This is not an easy thing to do. It wasn’t always doom and gloom, life went on, I was able to put it at the back of my mind at times. I turned my focus to other things, friends, school, college, work, volunteering etc but it was still hard, constant reminders, ridicule of others in the same situation and of course, the close minded Irish mentality that still exists ensured I’d only step out of the shadows for a little bit. I needed to get out of Ireland, the recession was the perfect excuse. So I packed my bags and moved to Canada in 2012.
While I adjusted, almost immediately to Canadian life, I was still hollow, I still carried the guilt and shame with me. I had run away from my family, my friends and more importantly, myself. Fast forward to last Summer. Something happened to me this Summer that would change my approach and outlook on the future. One Summer evening, at 8:03pm, I met somebody. An amazing person who understood me. We spent weekend upon weekend with each other. I began to ask myself what this feeling was inside? I asked myself why my stomach danced when they smiled or what made me light up as I watched their eyes dance as I made them laugh. There was no negotiating with this feeling - It felt right and contrary to what I felt inside for years, It felt natural.
This person became the shelter that rescued me from the storm. This person showed me that I do not need to hold my head bent in shame as there is nothing to be ashamed about. I can’t put into words how grateful I am to this person for helping me be me. For the first time in a very long time, I was Chris. I was happy. I smiled when I was alone. Even though I finally stopped hiding from myself. I was still lying to everyone else. I guess you could say they became victims of the situation I had created for myself. I had a double life that was eating away at me - mentally I wasn't strong enough to mix the two so I stayed away from friends and ignored calls and texts from family. I preferred this new life as I was happy. That wasn't enough, I needed to consolidate them. I started the process.
I flew half way across Canada to visit a close friend and decided to just do it! I unburdened my heart to them. As happy as I was to finally talk to someone about it, I found little relief, mainly because I knew this person was extremely open minded. I needed to challenge myself and punch that shark - so with supportive shoulders to lean on, I called my mother a week or so later. At first I couldn’t talk, my throat closed up. I was unable to say the words but I sobbed uncontrollably as they left my mouth. I grieved for them as they were locked inside this cage for so many years but now they were free.
I will never forget my mother's reply as she sighed with relief. ‘Thats it? I thought you were going to tell me you were sick’ and with those few simple words, the weight I had carried with me for so long, lifted. I knew it was ok. I was free. That night, I slept throughout the night, something I had not done in a very long time. I don’t know what the future holds or what will happen now that this is step is taken, I keep asking myself who will be stand by me? Who will bail on me during big steps in my life? Who will reject or ridicule me? What I am sure about is that I don’t need these people in my life. I’ve hated myself for long enough so I don't need it from anyone else. Enough is enough. It's time to rebuild. Am I scared?
Like you wouldn’t believe but thats alright. I no longer have big secrets that will erode who I am. No more hiding. My mother summed it perfectly for me. ‘Nothings changed. You are still Chris Godfrey, You are the kindest, most genuine, empathic, generous, loving son, brother, cousin, nephew and friend I know. What is there to be ashamed about? The only thing you are guilty of is falling in love.’ She was right! At the end of the day, It all came down to love. It turns out that this person who I fell in love with, who helped me discover me, just happens to be a man.

The Fyver Fryday link has been up since last year. They actually have a tab on the show's page for a once a year show. Jesus the "YEW-BRISS"

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/liveline/features/2015/1111/741174-liveline/


Fiver Friday has been a huge success, thank to all the businesses around the country who got on board.

We are no longer able to accept or list new offers for this site as of 3pm Friday, December 4th.

Offers listed below are available on or around December 4th, but are not ongoing.

While businesses may choose to continue their Fiver Friday offers, these are not made in association with RTÉ or Liveline.
Liveline’s Fiver Friday returns to the nation!

BUSINESS OWNERS – we invite you to offer a deal of your choice on Fiver Friday. It’s a chance to reconnect and reward loyal customers for their continued support.

Link up with other businesses in your area to bring a buzz to the community on December 4th .

CUSTOMERS - get out and support your local business, retailer or supplier in an effort to boost turnover and save jobs. Tell us how your local shops are enticing you through their doors.

Tune in to Liveline on RTÉ Radio 1 every weekday between 1.45pm - 3pm for the latest Fiver Friday updates alongside the usual agenda-setting discussions from Joe Duffy and the Liveline callers.

SHARE THE NEWS

Use the Fiver Friday Facebook Hub: www.facebook.com/RTERadio1
Use the Fiver Friday Twitter hashtag: #FiverFriday and find us over @Liveline_RTE
Use word-of-mouth: spread the word!

I’M A BUSINESS OWNER, HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED WITH FIVER FRIDAY?

Click here to download a full-colour A3 ‘Fiver Friday’ poster to display in your business or Click here to download a full-colour A4 ‘Fiver Friday’ poster to display in your business.

Profile:

Brendan "Doc" Savage, Star of RTEs Live Line Funny Friday show" is firmly established as one of Ireland's funniest men has appeared at the top cabaret venues across Ireland and the UK. Brendan “Jury’s Irish Cabaret”
He has performed with the likes of Joe Dolan, Dickie Rock, The Wolfe Tones, The Dubliners, Red Hurley....need we say more! Brendan
Brendan also performs with a ballad group so can provide a great evenings entertainment of craic and Irish music that will keep you laughing and singing all night.
"On Your Behalf"
No need to worry anymore about the best mans wedding speeches because I will take care of all the wedding speeches from "grace before meals" to the "cutting of your wedding cake" This service is supplied by Brendan.
For all your golf club functions, Captains Dinners, Lady Captains Dinners, President Awards, Golf Classics or visiting societies.
Among the golf clubs where Brendan has performed at Forrest Little, Howth, Royal Dublin, Donabate, Slade Valley, Ashbourne, Royal Tara, Elm Park, City West and Carlow Golf Club to name just a few.

If yiz want ta read some very poorly written guff:

http://www.nkmanagement.ie/joe-duffy---biography.html
Joe Duffy presents one of Ireland's leading radio shows Liveline on RTÉ Radio One. Liveline, which has 400,000 listeners, is now firmly established as a national institution as listeners tune and call into the show to ‘Talk to Joe.’

Joe joined RTÉ Radio as a producer in 1989 and since then he has worked his way through several shows, first as a reporter on The Gay Byrne Show and then as presenter of several programmes including the media programme Soundbyte.
​
In 2015, Joe brought Liveline to our TV screens with Liveline:Call Back. In this show Joe looks back at some of the standout stories on the nation's favourite radio talk show and follows up on the most memorable stories, some with heart-breaking and others with heart-warming outcomes. He also hosted a number of series of Joe Duffy's Spirit Level on RTÉ One. The show discussed the different religions in the country and the faith of the people in Ireland. On the chat show, Joe was joined by a panel who deal with issues around death in their own personal and professional lives. He also fronted the series Local Heroes on RTÉ One which celebrated individuals across the country who have come up with new and innovative ways to stimulate job creation in their own villages, towns or cities. Previously, he appeared on the RTÉ television series Who Do You Think You Are?, where his family history in the British Army in India was revealed. ​
In 2011 Joe released his autobiography,Just Joe, which went straight to number one. Writing with raw honesty, Joe here recounts his difficult upbringing in working-class Ballyfermot. He paints a poignant, heart-breaking picture of family life with a hard-drinking father and hard-working mother. Joe writes with candour about the death of his youngest brother Aidan and about his often difficult relationship with another brother, Brendan. Aspirations for a better life were rarely encouraged in Ballyfermot. Joe also highlights the major stories raised by Liveline, including child-abuse controversies and scandals in the Irish health service. Joe also deals with the shocking death in 2010 of Joe's friend and fellow broadcaster Gerry Ryan. This is a riveting, deeply felt and fascinating memoir which goes behind the public face of Joe Duffy to reveal a complex, passionate man.

More recently in 2015, Joe released his award winning book Children of the Rising with Hachette. This is the first ever account of the young lives violently lost during the week of the 1916 Rising: long-forgotten and never commemorated, until now. Boys, girls, rich, poor, Catholic, Protestant - no child was guaranteed immunity from the bullet and bomb that week, in a place where teeming tenement life existed side by side with immense wealth. Drawing on extensive original research, along with interviews with relatives, Joe Duffy creates a compelling picture of these forty lives, along with one of the cut and thrust of city life between the two canals a century ago. ​​ - See more at: http://www.nkmanagement.ie/joe-duffy---biography.html#sthash.ezQKxkz6.dpuf

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

I see Lloyds appear to be still advertising on the Liveline web page, wonder are they paying or was it just never taken down from when they sponsored the show?

Assume it just wasn't taken down. As I said, parts of that website/de lahv lahn pages haven't been updated since 2-12.

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Anyone seen this before on De Lahv Lahn page?
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/liveline/generic/2013/0215/367956-special-features/

Chris's letter about 'coming out', as featured on Thursday 6th February 2014
My mother summed it perfectly for me. ‘Nothings changed. You are still Chris Godfrey, You are the kindest, most genuine, empathic, generous, loving son, brother, cousin, nephew and friend I know. What is there to be ashamed about? The only thing you are guilty of is falling in love.’

"Son, we've known you were gay for the past decade."

ButtersSuki wrote: »

The Fyver Fryday link has been up since last year. They actually have a tab on the show's page for a once a year show.

We are no longer able to accept or list new offers for this site as of 3pm Friday, December 4th.

Does this mean we are due another Fiver Friday soon? I can't wait.

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Liveline's legendary Funny Fridays have become a welcome antidote to the trials of modern living. Joe is joined by some of Ireland's finest musical comedians to put our politicians and public personalities under the spotlight to truly uproarious effect.....

I don't know who wrote that, or how they could keep a straight face when they did.

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

I see Lloyds appear to be still advertising on the Liveline web page, wonder are they paying or was it just never taken down from when they sponsored the show?

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Assume it just wasn't taken down. As I said, parts of that website/de lahv lahn pages haven't been updated since 2-12.

An old trick - leave a former ad up to occupy space. Used to see it a lot in local rags, to give the impression of paying advertisers.